Simplify Your CV

Don’t be clever with formatting. Use a basic, fundamental CV. List hard skills including all digital apps you’ve worked with, then provide balance with an executive summary that briefly tells your story. Use language to convey softer skills like communication and empathetic leadership. Skip personal pronouns and use “we” instead.

Moving Up or Moving Out?

Leveling out at the same title for multiple years with numerous companies is a red flag. Maybe personal reasons kept you in place or you just love the job, but recruiters want to see your track record. Be prepared with data to prove you’ve still got the goods.

Personal Social Media Branding

Create a personal brand on social media that can sell you to an employer. Recruiters use social media as a first-look at job candidates. Make sure your branding is authentic and represents who you are, but remains professional.

Brush Up on Zoom

Not every candidate has the perfect lighting for a virtual interview, but putting some thought into background, camera angles, volume levels and personal appearance goes a long way in showing HR that your basic tech skills are current and effective digital communication is within your wheelhouse.

Put Value Front and Center

An interview is not the time to be humble. Be really clear on what value you add to an organization and present evidence to back it up. Give your teams credit where credit is due to illustrate your contributions  equally.

Empathetic Leadership

Conveying softer skills like this often comes down to relationship building and conveying everyday, conversational examples of how those relationships with a team, a company or even the industry live on. Do you still get together for dinner? Are you godparent to one of their kids? Tell them, because this is where integrity and character come in. Lasting relationships are the byproduct of empathetic leadership.

Do You Have Any Questions?

Grab that interview moment and make it your own. Script questions for the interviewer that allow you to convey pieces of your experience and skill set that reinforce your fit for the organization. It takes forethought and planning to create “impromptu” situations like this, but they provide opportunity for deeper conversation that could land you the job.

The Remote Work Elephant in the Room

The willingness to contribute more than is expected shows initiative and is a given at the executive level. But remote work is a new kind of flexibility to consider in a job search. Some companies take a hard line on full-time, in-office workers. Others sit solidly in the work-from-home camp. And then there are the hybrids: three days in office and two days remote; one week in the office and three weeks remote. There’s no standard and little agreement. Research. Set priorities. And apply accordingly.

Remote Work Downside

Take into account that present and visible employees have an advantage to moving up and being promoted within many companies. Combat that with innovation, intentional actions and strong communication to engage your team, build a community where one might not exist, and increase the mindshare with the CEO or other executives who could determine advancement within an organization.

Be the Best Fit

Executive recruiters work with HR departments to search for the best job candidates. Through written responses and less formal interviews, recruiters glean information from potential candidates and dig for characteristics, leadership styles and experiences that can make all the difference in a new hire “fit.”

From the January/February 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post Advice from Executive Recruiters first appeared on Direct Selling News.

Hard skills—the nuts and bolts, platforms and apps, methodologies and strategies on every executive’s CV—may change slightly from year to year, but the overarching categories of data and tech have remained constant since digital technology became the standard-bearer for corporate growth.

Perpetual evolution in these areas press the most marketable executives forward in their skill sets to keep pace with what’s necessary to grow businesses, and at the same time increase the relevance of companies and the likelihood they can attract and retain valuable employees.

The need to interpret and analyze data and implement growth strategies that harness the most current technologies, cuts across industry disciplines. It’s no longer the exclusive purview of the Chief Information Officer. In fact, it bleeds into every executive role and can affect the softer, nuanced skills and decision making of corporate leaders who want to build solid and successful teams.

“Every good executive needs to be data-oriented and understand finance related to overall business structure—the ‘where’s and ‘why’s of how monies are assigned,” said Kate Gardner, principal, GardnerCo LLC dba C3 Executive Search.

That’s because companies are being driven to do things differently, whether it’s due to COVID, compliance issues leading them to more customer-centric business strategies, remote work expectations, mergers or downsizing. Change has come to the entire channel, and it’s complicated.

“We’re sitting in the middle of a major shift in how we may be doing business going forward. The channel is grappling with change at a fundamental level, from current complexities to digital and regulatory driven opportunities,” Gardner explained.

To lead through these challenging and changing times, executives involved in planning and growth strategy certainly need to be data-oriented, analytical, understand business drivers and apply all this to finance. But it’s tempting to get lost in those hard skills and quantifiable data, relying so heavily on them you lose sight of the person that “got” that number or “is” that number.

People are going through a lot of challenges coming out of COVID. With all the life-impacting adjustments to work and personal lives made over the past few years, psychological and mental health challenges have surfaced. People have changed.

As a result, anyone in organizational leadership needs to have more empathy than they did before. They need to be able to communicate and lead with more nuance than was once required of them, Sean Eggert, CEO, Hanna Shea Consulting, said.

“You can carry on with business as usual, but you’re going to be losing executives left and right and constantly replacing people. Take time to get to know your team and make them feel supported. Right now, more than ever, it’s about building really strong community,” Eggert said.

Fast Adapting Mavericks

Hard work is second nature to the direct selling industry. When executives rise from the sales field, particularly, they bring with them an “eat what you kill” work ethic that drives them to adapt quickly. This maverick characteristic pushes them to do everything in their power to figure out an angle to improve, to increase numbers, to do things better.

As an industry recruiter, Eggert sees the frustration of these executive mavericks, who are extremely tech savvy, excel on social media and possess incredible communications skills but work for companies that lag behind.

COVID accelerated corporate adaptation, forcing policy and business strategy changes, software platform improvements and even complete re-creations. Larger companies with more resistant field organizations felt greater pain, than did smaller ones whose fields had looser ties to existing methods and platforms. It’s a change some executive candidates tell Eggert was overdue.

After outpacing their companies in adaptability, these executives desire organizations that embrace change and technology more readily; therefore, allowing them to refine their skills, grow individually and implement new strategies on behalf of their new employers.

When an executive is ready for more and could step up within a company, often they are disillusioned because no career advancement path exists. A quick look at the company hierarchy tells the story. These executives simply have no place to go but out.

“We’ve had a tendency, because we’ve had so many great years of growth in our channel, to add willy-nilly without giving consideration to an actual org structure,” Gardner said. “HR is always good at and trained to identify and help organize the structure internally, so they have the right people onboard for today and a year from now, presuming they need these levels they are aspiring to.”

But too often, HR isn’t part of strategic growth planning. Gardner believes there’s a lot to be gained in studying this internal people component from both the corporate and individual perspectives.

Remote Work Debate

Nowhere is the people component more obvious than the debate surrounding remote work. What began as a whisper pre-COVID with Millennials and Gen Xers is a post-pandemic phenomenon no longer unique to that demographic.

“They are searching for the Holy Grail of work/life balance. With COVID leading to remote work and having had a taste of that and the freedom that it provides, they have no interest in returning to an office environment,” said Debbie Squire, President, IMPACT This Day.

“There’s no magic bullet with remote work. It becomes part of our culture moving forward and each company’s work/life balance culture is going to be different from another, for all the legitimate reasons based upon who that company is and who leads them,” Gardner said.

“It just makes sense in an executive’s mind to let them do what they do from wherever they want to do it, as long as the job is being done to meet expectations or beyond,” Eggert said.

After all, it is a “trust but verify situation,” according to Eggert.

Some newer and mid-sized companies operate entirely remote and as a result, expectations are clear from the beginning for everyone at every level including the CEO. “It all comes down to solid reporting and communications, whether you are the CEO reporting to the Founder or the Director reporting to the VP,” Eggert said.

The contentious nature of remote work has some executives driving a proverbial stake into the ground refusing to relocate or come into the office full-time, while some companies take a hard line citing sacrifices in culture and questioning productivity.

“Executives need to be more pragmatic, particularly when leading their teams. One example would be looking at employee output versus hours worked. I am hearing from more of my clients that they see productivity levels dropping and they are poising themselves to be more rigid in respect to remote work,” Squire said.

Eggert doesn’t buy into the idea that remote work is somehow adversely affecting productivity. With set expectations for every hired position, a set of achievements and clear goals, it’s not hard to measure a person’s productivity whether they are in or out of the office.

“It’s always about reporting, and it’s about data. The fact that people were forced to work from home during COVID and now are demanding that ability—at least in a hybrid—I think helps because it comes down to data. There’s a lot more rigidity, in terms of reporting and communication. In all honesty, it is a great thing, as compared to when we were all in the office and maybe there wasn’t that same requirement,” Eggert said.

Hardworking professional executives want to be able to report in each week about what they’ve accomplished. Push back shouldn’t exist because they should relish the idea of communicating and be good at it. It’s expected of them because it is what they expect from their teams.

Perhaps, it is in the data where executive job candidates and direct selling companies can find common ground on the remote work issue and exercise the empathetic leadership traits that lead to effective collaboration and a win for the individuals, the companies and the industry.

From the January/February 2023 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post The Top Skills Every Direct Selling Executive Needs first appeared on Direct Selling News.

1 / There Are Not Enough Employees to Fill Demand

According to a 2022 Cappfinity survey, there are currently over 11 million job openings in the United States. U.S. Department of Labor data shows that more than 4.5 million people left their jobs in November 2021, up from 4.2 million the previous month. These are the highest numbers in over 20 years.

In fact, the talent shortage is so widespread that it has been called “The Great Resignation.” Workers are taking advantage of the intense competition and using it as an opportunity to seek better pay, hours and benefits. At the same time, Robert Half research shows that two in three U.S. companies plan to expand their teams in the first half of 2022. How is your company competing? What are jobseekers looking for?

Companies are implementing several tactics to attract skilled candidates.

• 55% are increasing salaries
• 50% are offering remote options and evaluating candidates outside their geographical area
• 44% are providing signing bonuses
• 41% are offering more paid time off
• 31% are loosening education, skills or experience requirements

These options give today’s professionals more negotiating power, so employers “must move quickly and create a positive candidate experience from the initial contact to the job offer,” explained Robert Half Senior Executive Director, Paul McDonald.

This is a good time to implement remote-friendly recruiting strategies to gain an advantage when competing for top talent. Research shows that more than half of professionals are interested in fully remote positions, so make the process remote-friendly from Day One. If you’re looking to expand beyond your traditional geographical area, it’s crucial to partner with a staffing firm like CP & Krell Group, which has a global footprint. Firms like this can leverage their extensive talent network to save you time and money.

2 / Culture Is a Priority for Employees

A company’s culture and core values are more important than ever. The Cappfinity survey shows that 80 percent of job seekers want to understand a company’s culture before they accept an offer. Revisit your company’s core values and analyze how the culture of your company is being demonstrated by employees and leaders alike.

Imbue the interview process with references to and examples of your company’s culture; be bold and share with candidates the ways you implement your core values in the workplace. Today’s employees focus on ideals like teamwork, togetherness and collaboration and look to company leadership to exemplify these values in obvious ways. This is a new era of hiring that requires a candidate-first approach.

3 / Provide an Omnichannel Experience

Successful companies in the 2020s are engaging their users in new ways. Add value to your organization by adding talented team members who understand how to be successful in an omnichannel environment. An omnichannel approach engages users, customers and teams by giving access to products, offers and support services across all channels, platforms and devices.

Companies like Disney, Sephora and Starbucks market, sell and interact with their customers not only in retail spaces but through apps and websites, designing an interactive customer experience no matter how the customer reaches out. Each channel is connected, with real-time updates, allowing for seamless transitions.

Instead of offering support only through your website, for example, are you reaching your customers through Facebook messenger, live chat features on your app or via email? When you hire talent familiar with these methods, you’ll increase your reach, your profits and your customer satisfaction.

4 / Drug Test Regulations Are Changing

With global talent shortages reaching a 15-year high, many companies have recognized that some things need to change. For many, that means eliminating barriers to hiring, such as educational requirements or marijuana drug tests. The Great Resignation has become an advantage for workers but has left many employers in a difficult position.

Crippling staff shortages mean companies may need to reconsider their drug use policies. Of course, not all employers are willing to make these changes, and there are valid reasons to be concerned about lowering these standards. How will this affect job performance, safety and liability? What is the potential for impairment? Many states have changed their legislation regarding marijuana use, so it’s important to stay current on the laws in your state as well as in other states or countries where you may have applicants or employees.

5 / Diversity Is No Longer a Novelty in the Business World

In a 2019 survey, 71 percent of employees in the U.S., U.K., Germany and France said their companies employed a diverse workforce. This statistic leaves plenty of room for improvement, but the trend toward embracing diversity and inclusion will continue to impact global recruiting practices in the years ahead.

People from different backgrounds and cultures bring new perspectives to the company, and research shows that diverse teams are better at solving complex problems; have more innovative ideas; and make better decisions. A global survey of employees in 2020 found that 90 percent of employees who work for a “diverse” company report higher levels of happiness, inclusion and trust. If your team feels a little too homogenous, it’s time to widen your net.

It’s important to recruit and develop inclusive leaders at every level of your company. By leveraging recruiting firms with a global reach, such as CP & Krell Group, you’ll have access to candidates from around the world who are ahead of the curve on innovation but also represent a wide array of viewpoints, cultures and experience.

6 / Remote Work Is Here to Stay

Who would have ever thought that we would spend so much time talking to each other through our computers? Just a couple of years ago, this type of work was definitely not the norm, but it looks as though at least a hybrid of in-person and remote work is here to stay. More than one-third of companies say they are willing to hire remote workers from anywhere in the world, and 60 percent of applicants are seeking flexibility in when and where they work.

In 2022, offering choices that allow employees to maintain their work/life balance is more important than ever. This is a good time to evaluate the types of benefits or perks that make your company special. Present remote opportunities and the culture of collaboration that exists at your company when interviewing and meeting with candidates.

If your company is looking to expand your team this year, keep these six recruiting trends in mind and take some time to look at the ways your company is perceived, presented and promoted to potential employees. By seeking out the best talent; focusing on culture and diversity; providing omnichannel experiences (and finding team members who understand their importance); keeping new regulations in mind; and offering flexibility with remote work, you can overcome the shifts in the global workplace.

With nearly 25 years of experience in executive corporate roles for iconic direct sales companies, Carlos Perez, Managing Partner of The CP & KRELL Group, leverages his unparalleled insight to connect the best and most relevant professionals with your organization. The CP & KRELL Group is a Global Executive Search firm and an affiliate of MRINetwork.

From the March 2022 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

The post The Top Six Home Office Recruiting Trends first appeared on Direct Selling News.

I’ve noticed for years that certain people attract others, almost as if with a magnet. I’ve dissected that, and my colleague Daniel Marold and I have been studying what causes it to happen. Over the last year, we’ve put together a new book called Vibe: Energy = RESULTS Faster.

Vibe is the energy emitted by a person or an organization, and we’ve determined that the greater your vibe, the better your results. We’ve entitled this article “Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe,” and we’re going to give you the “what” and the “how” to bring that to life.

The “what” is that having a great reputation—and attracting great people—at the highest level requires that you emit a great vibe, both as a leader and as an organization. You want to be strategic about your vibe so when people research you, your team, or your organization, the attraction is magnetic. As an executive, you want to attract members of your corporate team as well as field team members.

“The way to gain a great reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.”

— Socrates

It’s really about more than who you attract. It’s also about “how” you inspire others as well as what they retain. As we all know, those are the three miraculous elements of the direct-selling multilevel-marketing business: attract, retain, and inspire.

Now let’s go to the how. There are five opportunities to enhance your vibe, keep your reputation at its highest level, and attract the right people, and I’ve listed five steps associated with each opportunity.

Five Opportunities to Enhance Your Vibe

1. Word of mouth. What are people saying about you and your organization?
2. Web search. When people search for you on the web, what are they finding?
3. Your website(s). Are they up to date, and are they designed to attract the right people?
4. Your training tools. Are they updated, and do they have vibe?
5. Social media (such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube). How do you convey your vibe across these media?

Five Steps to Maximize Each Opportunity

Step 1: Select an element.

Step 2: Assess it and determine where you are and where you want to be.

Step 3: Assign a lead person (generally from the marketing department or perhaps a person in the field.)

Step 4: Define specific actions for anything in the assessment you don’t like so you can tweak it and raise it to the next level.

Step 5: Manage it so you can keep it up, measure it, and continue tweaking it in order to keep your vibe at its highest level.

I’m suggesting that you apply each of these steps to each opportunity. Here’s what I mean:

1. You select the first one, word of mouth.
2. You assess it. What are people saying about you?
3. Determine who the lead person is on your team who should be in charge of word of mouth. Let’s say it’s the IDC—the independent counsel from the field—who is the lead person to handle word of mouth. Or it could be someone internally who works in your marketing department who would team up with someone in the field.
4. Then define specific actions we want to take to improve it. Be strategic.
5. Then you go about managing it. Every so often, you might take some surveys to see how word of mouth is working for you.

Now follow each of the five steps for the other four elements. The last step, managing, may involve these actions:

• For web search, you might have someone in your organization constantly be doing web searches to see what comes up.
•  For your website, you might take a good look to see if it’s outdated or whether it conveys your vibe.
•  For your training tools, you might look at what’s being put out by other companies and see if they may be a fit for today’s situation. An obsolete training tool could certainly affect your reputation.
• And of course, social media in today’s world is one scenario where you have to be constantly and consistently updating.

What kind of vibe do you have? How is it affecting your reputation? And is it attracting the kind of tribe you want?

From the July 2021 issue of Direct Selling News magazine.

TONY JEARY—THE RESULTS GUY—IS A PROLIFIC AUTHOR AND A STRATEGIST. HIS ORGANIZATION, TJI, FACILITATES POWERFUL MEETINGS, KEYNOTE EVENTS AND COACHES HIGH PERFORMERS TO ACCELERATE THEIR RESULTS.

The post Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe first appeared on Direct Selling News.

These salesforces do not have quotas like typical sales teams. Their sales leaders have no hire or fire authority. Yet they have both been successful in aligning sales goals and motivating growth. How do they do it?

A recent article in Forbes offered insight and advice on best practices for companies trying to motivate a volunteer workforce.

Keep it Simple

Businesses cannot compel volunteers to do anything. The only thing they can do is simplify the message and model the behaviors. That is, make things simple. Duplicable.

Look for Inspiration Everywhere

Look outside of direct competitors for inspiration on how to engage, educate and inspire your salesforce. Research companies that do a good job of the tasks and motions you want your sellers to demonstrate.

Recruiting and Onboarding Can Make All the Difference

New sellers need to get early momentum. It’s an indication of later success and helps the seller know they are on the right track. This is a matter of good recruiting and onboarding while understanding your differentiation and the value you bring to your employees.

Recognize and Appreciate the Choices People Make

People have choices. To work for your company or organization. To spend their time with target accounts. To read emails from the marketing organization or utilize CRM to manage their contacts. Respect the choices people are making every day to invest in your company, to support your campaign and to solve problems for customers. Show gratitude.

To read the full article, click here.

The post Lessons for Motivating A Volunteer Salesforce first appeared on Direct Selling News.